#SXSW or #SXSPorch: Sour Grapes, or So What, Why I Love SouthBy and Will Miss It This Year

You don’t care why I am going to sit out this South By Southwest. I know that. But I’ve answered the question so many times in the last 48 hours that I thought I would let you know publicly, that I love SXSW. I am not attending this year partially because of the badge fee. (In previous years I have had a company pay my entrance fee, or I have been a speaker and gotten a comp badge to SXSW Interactive) But not this year. So here’s my party line:

I am not going to SXSW this year because I don’t need any more ideas or any more connections. What I need right now is business. And there are “some” opportunities to get business at SXSW, but primarily it is for networking and getting to meet new people and socialize with old friends. It’s a great time. At this moment in my life, however, I am not in search of good times. I’m in search of the way, the path, the call to action that will match up with my call to service.

So my hashtag this year will be #SXSbed, signifying my ability to stay in bed on these cold rainy days in March, when I should be networking and jazzing it up with my fellow social media workers and associates. I’ll be writing and working from South by South-bed.